Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
25 years ago, I read a book on all the President's that were dead at the time -- basically Washington to Nixon (and I've filled in the ones who've died since). The one theme that came through (other than it was hard to find a book on some of them, but I somehow did (and this was Pre-Amazon)) was that history repeats itself -- and it continues to be true.
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
Picked up some James Hilton novels and more from Conrad Richter.
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
Just finished "They Bled Blue" about the 1981 Dodgers. As much as I hated them then, and am still upset that Seaver got hosed on the Cy Young, it was pretty interesting. The Lasorda stories were very funny.
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
No Graves as Yet - A Novel of World War I.
Anne Perry 2003
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
The War Before the War: Fugitive Slaves and the Struggle for America's Soul from the Revolution to the Civil War
by Andrew Delbanco
So far, interesting but a bit repetitive. He has a purpose in his approach, though, as he seems to be circling something important.
The Three Imposters by Arthur Machen. I get on a Machen kick occasionally, and he seems to be trending up as some are looking for weird horror from someone less problematic than Lovecraft, who Machen influenced.
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
Quote:
Originally Posted by
marcshoe
I've read HE for my dissertation. I might suggest something that gives a more balanced view, like Li'l Abner or Elizabeth Catte's What You are Getting Wrong about Appalachia.
Not really sure what's unbalanced about Vance's book, but I give it a solid "meh". Having grown up in Kentucky, gone to school in Cincinnati and married into a northern Kentucky family, I found his story pretty unremarkable. Other than the fact that he ended up at Yale Law, of course. Having read it, I guess I'm finding the reaction it received from people completely unfamiliar with "hillbilly" culture kind of amusing.
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Boston Red
Not really sure what's unbalanced about Vance's book, but I give it a solid "meh". Having grown up in Kentucky, gone to school in Cincinnati and married into a northern Kentucky family, I found his story pretty unremarkable. Other than the fact that he ended up at Yale Law, of course. Having read it, I guess I'm finding the reaction it received from people completely unfamiliar with "hillbilly" culture kind of amusing.
It may be that I came to this book through conversations with people in the Marshall humanities program who didn't like the approach of the book or the reaction it was getting (as you say, the book on its own is unremarkable, but many of us have always disliked these sorts of "Appalachian" snapshots.) Because of the political reality surrounding its release, the book became something more than it was. This was part of Vance's goal, though; he set himself up as a Hillbilly Whisperer. Catte is a good antidote, as is Appalacian Reckoning, a collection of essays providing diverse views (some of which defend Vance). I started to quote from Catte's book, but for an answer to your question, this, from an NPR interview she did, seems appropriate:
Quote:
MCEVERS: Right. There is still poverty, right? And there - you know, the region is mostly white, and - so yeah, how do you talk about that in terms of...
CATTE: Yeah, so we just want more nuance I think. We need to kind of diversify the narrative of the region and acknowledge that it can't be contained in a single election or a single person's life. And I think one of the things I see now when I read comments on news articles and kind of engage with people online is that they want stories about [redacted for political material]. My basic point is that Appalachia has those stories, too.
https://www.npr.org/2018/01/31/58224...ia-in-new-book
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
On another note, the Fugitive Slave Act book is disappointing. A lot of good info, but poorly organized. I hesitate here, because every review I've read has gushed. Also, he seems to cherrypick at times, such as when he claims that American authors barely mention slaver, but fails to mention Thoreau, even when talking about Emerson, Whitman, Melville, and Hawthorne, even makes a comment on how these authors had little in common with MLK, who cited Thoreau as an influence.
But anyway, there's a lot of good stuff here; I'm just not sure his approach is always accurate.
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
“Educated” by Tara Westover
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
Just finished reading the first volume of Shelby Foote's history of the Civil War. Excellent story telling by Foote. Even though it s a long book at over 900 pages it didn't seem that way.
Started reading A History of Crosley Field. Many different writers contributed to this. It's pretty good with mostly stories about the more famous games played there.
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Roy Tucker
“Educated” by Tara Westover
Thoughts? Pretty popular book right now. Not sure how to approach. Be happy hear from anyone, Roy or others.
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
Trying to take my time with the Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. If she's going to take 8 years between books there is no reason to read it all in 2 days.
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
Quote:
Originally Posted by
dfs
Trying to take my time with the Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. If she's going to take 8 years between books there is no reason to read it all in 2 days.
And I thought I was slow because it's been four months since I last released a novel.
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BillDoran
Thoughts? Pretty popular book right now. Not sure how to approach. Be happy hear from anyone, Roy or others.
It’s a young writer’s memoir. If you like the viewpoint or the writing style, then enjoy. I wasn’t compelled by either.
Reference points - Terry Tempest Williams or Norman McLean - a river runs through it.
Re: What Are You Reading Now Part Two
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BillDoran
Thoughts? Pretty popular book right now. Not sure how to approach. Be happy hear from anyone, Roy or others.
It's a fascinating story, although probably so one-sided as to fall into exaggeration. But I do think it's important for us to see how religious cults traumatize people and the importance of giving every child a chance at learning about the outside world for themselves.